Analysts said Seoul shares gathered ground as investors’ sentiment got a boost from the World Bank Group’s prediction that the global economy will expand 3.2 percent on-year in 2014, improving from the 2.4 percent growth tallied last year.

The U.S. Federal Reserve’s latest Beige Book released overnight also lent support to the growth, saying that the world’s No. 1 economy is expanding at a “moderate” pace, analysts added.

“Also, the Bank of Japan is unlikely to come up with an additional monetary easing move next week due to its trade deficits,” said Cho Byung-hyun, an analyst at Tongyang Securities Co.

The South Korean won’s rise to the yen has been sparking worries over the earnings of local exporters, as it inflicts foreign exchange losses and makes local goods more expensive overseas.

“As the U.S. central bank is also unlikely to come up with an additional quantitative easing plan, the (local stock market’s) growth trend will continue for the time being,” Cho added.

Foreigners and institutions scooped up a net 3.6 billion won and 49.9 billion worth of Seoul shares on the main bourse, respectively. Individual investors, in contrast, offloaded a net 65 billion won.